Civic Duty | Area parks and street ideas vie for part of $1.2 million in grants, community reps sought for Sound Transit Broadway development process

One of the main responsibilities for the East District Neighborhood Council is making local recommendations for how various city grant programs are to be deployed on the streets of Capitol Hill and nearby neighborhoods. Monday night, the body is holding a special session to hear presentations on nine proposals for funding from the Neighborhood Parks and Street Fundprogram. We’ve asked the city’s Department of Neighborhood’s rep for details on the nine proposals and will update if we hear back. In the meantime, you can plan to be at the Capitol Hill Library branch (425 Harvard Ave E) at 5:45 for tonight’s meeting. The funding is part of the City of Seattle budget “set aside for neighborhood improvements to streets and parks. NPSF projects are proposed by the community.” The planned $1.2 million in deployments can include “playground improvements, trail upgrades, tennis or basketball court resurfacing, park benches or tables, natural area renovations, and accessibility improvements.” The neighborhood council will select three finalists Monday night to forward onto the city for further analysis.

You can help lead the Capitol Hill Champion group representing the Capitol Hill Community Council and the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce in working with Sound Transit to plan the development of properties around the future Capitol Hill Station. The community group is looking for representatives to meet with prospective developers of the the massive mixed-use development sites around the future Capitol Hill light rail station in a series of meeting planned later this year. CHS wrote about the bidding process and opportunities for the Broadway properties here earlier this year.”Sound Transit will be working with the Champions to facilitate a meeting between the short-listed developers and the community so the proposers can hear directly from the community about their priorities,” a ST rep tells CHS. “The final developer selection process is spelled out in the RFQ/RFP process and must be conducted internally by Sound Transit.

“Applicants with development experience to help craft careful and critical questions, and to structure and negotiate meetings between the short-listed developers and community members,” the call for applicants reads.

For anybody looking to play a smaller role, the Champion is also looking for volunteers to hang out at the Broadway Farmers Market and tell people about the effort. You can learn more at capitolhillchampion.org.

Volunteer opportunities

We are looking for volunteers to help staff information tables at the Sunday Broadway Farmer’s Market beginning late March. Volunteer shifts are around 2-3 hours between 10:30-3:30pm, Sunday afternoons. Training is provided. Please email me directly at mel@caphillchamber.org to sign up.

Steering Committee/Task Team membersWe are currently recruiting new members with developer experience to help craft careful and critical questions, and to structure and negotiate meetings between the short-listed developers and community members. A full job description and instructions on how to apply are attached and available on our website.